After the good performance in Abu Dhabi the three blues from tomorrow in the second event of the Rolex Series. McIlroy at the first race of 2023
Still in the United Arab Emirates, yet another rich tournament included in the Rolex Series (prizes of 9 million dollars with 1 and a half reserved for the winner): from tomorrow to Sunday the DPWorld Tour is in Dubai with the Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club. Rory McIlroy, the number 1 in the world, is also on the field, playing in his first tournament of 2023 and winning twice in this event (2009, 2015). The long-distance duel with the Spaniard Jon Rahm is interesting, who will play on the PGA Tour (Farmers Insurance Open) and after two consecutive successes he is looking for the third to take the top of the world ranking away from the Northern Irishman.
There will be no Viktor Hovland, winner a year ago, who will therefore not defend his title. Three Italians in the race: Francesco Molinari, his brother Edoardo and Guido Migliozzi, all three returning from a good performance in Abu Dhabi last week when Chicco also cherished dreams of victory, braking a bit on the last lap, but conquering however a fifth place that he had been missing since spring 2019. Dodo’s 17th position and Migliozzi’s 20th position bode well for a good result also in Dubai. Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrel Hatton, Sepp Straka and the winner of Abu Dhabi, the French Victor Perez, are also in the top-level field, all looking for precious points in view of Ryder’s qualification. Also registered are 12 players who have joined the LIv, the Arab Super League. Among them Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson
and Patrick Reed.
That the world of golf is deeply divided is also demonstrated by an episode that occurred on the driving range. Rory McIlroy didn’t want to greet Patrick Reed who had approached him and the American reacted by throwing him a tee. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday and was first reported by the Spanish website TenGolf. The two have been at odds ever since McIlroy criticized players, including Reed, who joined the LIV, though McIlroy downplayed the incident. “It was nothing. I was practicing and didn’t have time to say hi to Reed. The tee? I did not see it. Obviously, someone else saw it. It’s a storm in a teacup.”
In the first two rounds Francesco Molinari will play with Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry, Edoardo Molinari will be on the inside with the Swede Ludvig Aberg and with the Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Guido Migliozzi will have the Iberian Adri Arnaus and Stephen Gallacher as companions. Tournament on Sky – The Hero Dubai Desert Classic will be televised on Sky channels and streamed on NOW. The first two days, Thursday 26 January and Friday 27, from 8.30 to 14.30 on Sky Sport Golf, Sky Sport Uno and NOW.
January 25 – 14:09
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